Apparatus for transferring thermal energy to or from a battery cell

Abstract

An apparatus for transferring thermal energy to or from a battery cell is disclosed, which includes a thermally conductive plate enclosing a conduit in communication with an inlet for receiving a heat transfer fluid stream and being configured to cause the fluid to flow through the plate to an outlet. The plate has a surface for receiving thermal energy generated by operation of the battery cell and is operable to couple thermal energy to the fluid. In one aspect the plate includes first and second opposing walls and the conduit includes a first conduit portion formed in the first wall and a second corresponding conduit portion formed in the second wall defining the conduit. In another aspect the conduit includes an aperture in a central wall and first and second cover walls on either side of the central wall. The cover walls enclose aperture and provide a seal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for transferring thermal energy to or from a battery cell, the apparatus comprising:
 a thermally conductive plate enclosing a conduit, the conduit being in communication with an inlet for receiving a heat transfer fluid stream and being configured to cause the fluid to flow through the thermally conductive plate to an outlet, the thermally conductive plate having a surface for receiving thermal energy generated by operation of the battery cell, the thermally conductive plate being operable to couple thermal energy to the fluid; and   wherein the thermally conductive plate comprises first and second opposing walls, the conduit comprising a first conduit portion formed in the first wall and a second corresponding conduit portion formed in the second wall, and wherein the first and second conduit portions together define the conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a seal enclosing the conduit, the inlet, and the outlet, the first and second walls being urged together to cause the seal to be compressed to prevent fluid from escaping from the thermally conductive plate. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the seal comprises a double seal. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the double seal comprises first and second seal portions, the first and second seal portions being spaced apart and further comprising a plurality of fasteners received between the first and second seal portions for urging the first and second walls together to cause the double seal to be compressed. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of fasteners comprise one of:
 a plurality of threaded fasteners; and 
 a plurality of rivets. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein at least one of the first and second walls comprises a groove formed in the at least one wall for receiving the seal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the seal comprises a compressible material having a generally circular cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first and second walls comprise one of a metal, a metal alloy, and a thermally conductive polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the conduit has a cross-section having a width dimension in a plane of the thermally conductive plate and a depth dimension extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the thermally conductive plate and wherein the width dimension is greater than the depth dimension. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a sensor conduit for receiving a temperature sensor for generating a signal representing the temperature of the thermally conductive plate. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the thermally conductive plate has a generally rectangular shape and the inlet and outlet are respectively disposed at opposite peripheral edges of the thermally conductive plate and wherein the conduit follows a generally serpentine path between the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the inlet and the outlet comprises an opening extending through the thermally conductive plate between the first and second walls, the opening being in communication with the conduit and being configured to be coupled to a corresponding opening in an adjacently located thermally conductive plate for receiving the fluid stream. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the battery cell is disposed between the adjacently located thermally conductive plates and further comprising a coupling configured to couple the fluid stream between the openings in the adjacently located thermally conductive plates. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the coupling is dimensioned to cause the adjacently located thermally conductive plates to be spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the battery cell. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the coupling is dimensioned to cause the adjacently located thermally conductive plates to be spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the battery cell while constraining thermal expansion of the battery cell when generating thermal energy during operation. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the coupling is operably configured to receive a seal for sealing between the coupling and the opening. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the thermally conductive plate comprises a plurality of fastener openings extending through the first and second walls, each fastener opening being configured to receive a fastener for holding a plurality of thermally conductive plates and battery cells in an alternating stack configuration for forming a battery apparatus, the fasteners being further operable to constrain thermal expansion of the battery cell when generating thermal energy. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the surface for receiving thermal energy generated by operation of a battery cell is generally planar and is dimensioned to generally correspond to a surface of the battery cell that facilitates coupling of thermal energy from the battery cell. 
     
     
         19 . A battery apparatus comprising:
 at least one battery cell; and   a thermally conductive plate disposed in thermal communication with the at least one battery cell, the thermally conductive plate being configured in accordance with  claim 1 .   
     
     
         20 . The battery apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the battery apparatus further comprises first and second end plates disposed on either side of the battery apparatus and wherein the battery apparatus comprises a fluid inlet for receiving the fluid stream and a fluid outlet for discharging the fluid stream, the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet being disposed on one of the first and second end plates, and wherein the fluid inlet is coupled to the inlet of the thermally conductive plate and the fluid outlet is coupled to the outlet of the thermally conductive plate. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the at least one battery cell comprises a plurality of battery cells each being in thermal communication with at least one thermally conductive plate, and further comprising a coupling configured to couple the fluid stream between the adjacently located thermally conductive plates. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the coupling is dimensioned to cause the adjacent thermally conductive plates to be spaced apart to accommodate the battery cell. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the coupling is dimensioned to cause the adjacently located thermally conductive plates to be spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the battery cell while constraining thermal expansion of the battery cell when generating thermal energy during operation. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the thermally conductive plate comprises a plurality of fastener openings extending through the first and second walls, and wherein the first and second end plates comprise a corresponding plurality of fastener openings extending though the respective end plates, each fastener openings being configured to receive a fastener for holding the end plates, battery cells and the thermally conductive plate in an alternating stack configuration for forming a battery apparatus, the fasteners being further operable to constrain thermal expansion of the battery cell when generating thermal energy. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for transferring thermal energy to or from a battery cell, the apparatus comprising:
 a thermally conductive plate enclosing a conduit, the conduit being in communication with an inlet for receiving a heat transfer fluid stream and being configured to cause the fluid to flow through the thermally conductive plate to an outlet, the thermally conductive plate having a surface for receiving thermal energy generated by operation of the battery cell, the thermally conductive plate being operable to couple thermal energy to the fluid; and   wherein the conduit comprises an aperture in a central wall of the thermally conductive plate, and wherein the thermally conductive plate further comprises first and second cover walls on either side of the central wall, the cover walls enclosing the aperture and providing a seal for preventing fluid from escaping from the thermally conductive plate.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the central wall comprises one of a plastic material, a metal, and a metal alloy. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the cover walls each comprise at least one of a metal, a metal alloy, and a thermally conductive polymer. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the central wall is formed using at least one of:
 a machining process; 
 a molding process; and 
 a stamping process. 
 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the cover walls are adhered to the central wall to provide the seal. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein the central wall comprises a groove formed in the central wall and enclosing the conduit, the inlet, and the outlet, the groove being operable to receive an adhesive for providing a seal for preventing fluid from escaping from the thermally conductive plate. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein the central wall comprises a groove formed in the central wall and enclosing the conduit, the inlet, and the outlet, the groove being operable to receive a seal for preventing fluid from escaping from the thermally conductive plate. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the conduit has a cross-section having a width dimension in a plane of the thermally conductive plate and a depth dimension extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the thermally conductive plate and wherein the width dimension is greater than the depth dimension. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 25  further comprising a sensor conduit for receiving a temperature sensor for generating a signal representing the temperature of the thermally conductive plate. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the thermally conductive plate has a generally rectangular shape and the inlet and outlet are respectively disposed at opposite peripheral edges of the thermally conductive plate and wherein the conduit follows a generally serpentine path between the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein at least one of the inlet and the outlet comprises an opening extending through the thermally conductive plate between the first and second walls, the opening being in communication with the conduit and being configured to be coupled to a corresponding opening in an adjacently located thermally conductive plate for receiving the fluid stream. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein the battery cell is disposed between the adjacently located thermally conductive plates and further comprising a coupling configured to couple the fluid stream between the openings in the adjacently located thermally conductive plates. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36  wherein the coupling is dimensioned to cause the adjacently located thermally conductive plates to be spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the battery cell. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the coupling is dimensioned to cause the adjacently located thermally conductive plates to be spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the battery cell while constraining thermal expansion of the battery cell when generating thermal energy during operation. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 36  wherein the coupling is operably configured to receive a seal for sealing between the coupling and the opening. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the thermally conductive plate comprises a plurality of fastener openings extending through the first and second walls, each fastener opening being configured to receive a fastener for holding a plurality of thermally conductive plates and battery cells in an alternating stack configuration for forming a battery apparatus, the fastener being further operable to constrain thermal expansion of the battery cell when generating thermal energy. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the surface for receiving thermal energy generated by operation of a battery cell is generally planar and is dimensioned to generally correspond to a surface of the battery cell that facilitates coupling of thermal energy from the battery cell.